Log in


Approved by the SeaMQG board as of August 21, 2026.

Policy and Process


Intent: To expand access to guild activities as costs rise, while responsibly stewarding limited scholarship funds. Any member experiencing financial hardship is encouraged to apply. No proof of hardship will be required or requested. 

Financial hardship definition: “Without a scholarship or grant, I would need to cut back on essentials to participate.” 


Application Process 

Privacy 

  • Applications must be submitted in writing using the designated form. 
  • Applications are confidential. Only the review committee, comprised with a selection of board members, will have access to applications. 

Selection 

  • If multiple eligible applications are received during application window, priority goes to members who have never received a scholarship of any type, to broaden access. 
  • Otherwise, Scholarships are awarded to the first complete application that meets eligibility. 

Timeline 

Unless otherwise noted: 

  • Applications open: 2 weeks before registration 
  • Review period: following week 
  • Notifications: at least 3 days prior to registration opening 
  • Applications remain open until: the scholarship is awarded OR one week prior to the event whichever comes first. 

Example: 

      • Event occurs: 10/1 
      • Registration opens: 8/20 
      • Scholarship Applications accepted: 8/6 
      • Review begins: 8/13 
      • Notifications by: 8/17 (3 days before registration) 
        • If still unfilled, applications remain open until 9/24 (one week before event) 

Member Notification 

  • All applicants will be notified of the outcome by email at least 3 days before registration opens. 

Review Committee 

  • Committee includes: 1 Programs representative, 1 Treasurer representative, 1 President(s) or Vice President(s). A voting board member may stand in when standing committee member(s) are not available. 
  • If a committee member has a conflict of interest (applying for themselves or having a close relationship with an applicant), they must recuse themselves. 


Scholarship Categories

Category 

Availability 

Amount Granted 

Eligibility 

Timeline
Membership Dues

10 per year, split Jan–June and July–Dec

$70 (full dues) 

Renewing member OR new member who has attended at least one meeting as a guest

Rolling applications;  reviewed monthly
Workshops

6 per year total; 1 scholarship per workshop;  unused rolls  forward

$50 
  • Member for at least 6  months 
  • 1 awarded workshop  scholarship per year

Opens 2 weeks before  registration; notification 3  days before registration
Overnight Retreats

2 per year:  

• 1 Camp Huston 
• 1 Rainbow Lodge

$150 
  • Member for at least 6  months 
  • 1 awarded retreat  scholarship every 2  years

Opens 2  weeks before  registration;  notification 3  days before registration
QuiltCon Quilt Entry  Fee Grants

5 per year total; 1 awarded per person
  • $20 per entry; 
  • Shipping reimbursement only for scholarship recipients with quilts accepted into QuiltCon (as funds allow)
  • First-time entrants prioritized  
  • One entry every other year 
  • Not eligible for scholarship if previous quilts accepted by QuiltCon

Opens 2 weeks before  MQG QuiltCon registration starts and ends 2 weeks  before the close of QC registration.
Day Retreat Scholarships

Varies; funded by unused QuiltCon or retreat funds

 May cover 1–3  days depending on available funds
  • Member for at least 6 months  
  • 1 retreat every 2 years

Opens 2 weeks before  registration; notification 3  days before registration

Additional Policy Guidelines

  • Scholarships are non-transferable to other events or people.
  • Recipients must register promptly for their awarded event or risk forfeiting the scholarship. Tickets/spots will not be held. Registration instructions will be provided.
  • Recipients are responsible for covering the remaining cost after a scholarship is applied.
  • If a member cancels:
      • During the refundable window, funds return to the scholarship pool or go to the next eligible applicant.
      • During the nonrefundable window or by no-showing the event, funds are considered used for budgetary purposes and are not returned to the scholarship pool. The member is still subject to eligibility guidelines as if they had utilized the scholarship (ie: may not apply in advance of the next eligibility window that applies to them). Extreme extenuating circumstances should be brought to the board for consideration.
      • If during the nonrefundable window a scholarship recipient must withdraw, the spot is first offered to the next eligible scholarship applicant. Following that, the spot can be offered to general guild members and the external community.
  • There are no volunteering requirements related to receiving a guild scholarship.

Eligible Combinations per Member:

  • To ensure equitable distribution of scholarship opportunities, a member may receive one of the following combinations per year. Below lists an example of what could be done in a year if a guild member has never applied for and/or received a scholarship before. Each guild member’s eligibility varies based on previous scholarship awards.
        • Option A: One Overnight Retreat + either Membership or a Workshop
          • Example: scholarship for an overnight retreat and a membership
        • Option B: Day Camper Spot or Workshop or QuiltCon Entry (choose two of the three) + Membership
          • Example: workshop, QuiltCon entry, and membership dues scholarship

Cycle Timing:

      • The retreat scholarship cycle overlaps calendar years. For consistency, eligibility is determined by the calendar year in which the award is granted, regardless of when the cycle begins or ends.
      • This means a member may receive awards in consecutive retreat cycles as long as each calendar year’s combination stays within the annual limits. For example:
        • Year 1: Options A (eg Retreat + Membership)
        • Year 2: Options B (eg, Workshop, Day Camp, QuiltCon Entry)
        • Year 3: Options A (eg Retreat + Workshop)

Board Addendum: Policy Execution

Guild members do not need to read this portion of the document as part of complying with the scholarship form requirements. Guild members can elect to read this portion if they so choose. 


Budget Process 

  • The annual scholarship fund amount is designated in the yearly budget, which must be approved by the board.
 Plus: 
  • The annual scholarship fund can be supplemented by board vote via a percentage of undesignated donations (Benevity and sundry donations) or by using Net Special Programs revenue from prior year. It can also be supplemented via fundraising or other charitable donations. 
    • Note: If Special Programs (eg, workshops, retreats) runs at a net loss, no funds from that source can be used. It is not a primary funding stream—only supplemental as funds allow. 


Role Responsibilities

President/Board

Reviews scholarship fund use report annually and adjusts budgetary amounts and amount of scholarships available as needed

Treasurer

Tracks and documents fund use excluding any personal identifiers.

Programs

Communicates scholarship availability to membership and relevant dates for applying. Receives applications.


Scholarship Fund Administration

Once scholarship funds are awarded to recipients, they are considered used for the year. They are no longer in the scholarship pool and count as spent in the guild budget.

Unused funds for the year may be:

  • Reallocated to other scholarship categories to create additional scholarship opportunities
  • Rolled over to the next year depending on guild needs

In line with the cancellation policy:

  • During the refundable window, funds return to the scholarship pool or go to the next eligible applicant.
  • During the nonrefundable window or by no-showing the event, funds are considered used for budgetary purposes and are not returned to the scholarship pool. The member is still subject to eligibility guidelines as if they had utilized the scholarship (ie: may not apply in advance of the next eligibility window that applies to them). Extreme extenuating circumstances should be brought to the board for consideration.
  • If during the nonrefundable window a scholarship recipient must withdraw, the spot is first offered to the next eligible scholarship applicant. Following that, the spot can be offered to general guild members and the external community.

2026 Scholarship Dates and Funds Availability



Copyright 2026 Seattle Modern Quilt Guild

"Seattle Modern Quilt Guild" is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software